R&B crooner Frank Ocean scores a feature in the December issue of US GQ magazine.
Lensed by Peggy Sirota, whilst surrounded by his Odd Future crew, Frank models sport coats from Prada, Gant Rugger, Burberry and Michael Bastian; paired with other casual pieces from Givenchy, Acne, Balmain and Rick Owens.
The 25-year-old ‘Thinkin Bout You’ singer opens up to the magazine about his sexuality.
On how falling in love with a man at the age of 19 changed his songwriting: “It became effortless. Like breathing. Because now I have something I really need to say. It was Mindfuck.net. It was a floodgate. It opened up the works”.
On why he decided to release the candid open letter about his sexuality on his Tumblr page: “I was just like, ‘Fuck it. Talk about it, don’t talk about it — talk about this’ No more mystery. Through with that”.
On what the aftermath of the letter have been: “The night I posted it, I cried like a fucking baby. It was like all the frequency just clicked to a change in my head. All the receptors were now receiving a different signal, and I was happy. I hadn’t been happy in so long. I’ve been sad again since, but it’s a totally different take on sad. There’s just some magic in truth and honesty and openness”.
On whether he released the letter as a PR stunt: “Some people said, ‘He’s saying he fell in love with a guy for hype’ As if that’s the best hype you can get in hip-hop or black music”.
On whether he was worried about his revelation ruining his career: “I had those fears. In black music, we’ve got so many leaps and bounds to make with acceptance and tolerance in regard to that issue… So, you know, you worry about people in the business who you’ve heard talk that way [being homophobic]… It’s tempting to give those views and words — that ignorance — more attention than they deserve. Very tempting”.
On whether he considers himself bisexual: “You can move to the next question. I’ll respectfully say that life is dynamic and comes along with dynamic experiences, and the same sentiment that I have towards genres of music, I have towards a lot of labels and boxes and shit”.
Head to GQ to read the eye-opening interview in full length:
Photos Via GQ
